As February, a month of celebrating love, has just ended, let us continue to take care of the hearts the same way they were given attention and nurtured during the month of love.
Nourishing the heart should not only be about chocolates and roses. We should dedicate other months to focusing on the health of the heart.
The heart is an important organ that needs to be taken care of to protect it from diseases such as diabetes. You can start by changing what you eat and getting physically active.
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, cardiovascular disease, a combination of different diseases linked to the heart, kills 225 people every day in South Africa. The diseases include heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.
A heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease, is a condition that affects the heart and its function, while diabetes develops when blood sugar (glucose) in the body is too high and the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or any at all.
Cardiologists equate the heart to the engine, as it pumps blood throughout the body to keep it alive.
Just like an engine plays an important role in running a car, a healthy heart is essential for life.
The heart’s three main functions are to pump blood through arteries and veins, supply oxygen, and remove waste from the body.
Conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are bad for the heart, affecting its ability to pump blood.
People can avoid or delay developing heart disease by switching to healthy foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
To live healthy, people are encouraged to rather reduce or get rid of processed and fast foods.
In addition, avoid adding too much salt when cooking and use low-sodium versions of products. It is unfortunate that people living with diabetes have a higher risk of heart disease; that is why they need to always manage their blood sugar.
The normal range for blood sugar is between 4 and 7 millimoles per litre (mmol/l).
Michael Brown, a diabetes expert at the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology (CDE), said:
“It pains me to mention that diabetes is a silent pandemic due to its severe impact. Diabetes is significantly and remarkably contributing to heart disease.
“People with diabetes are more likely to develop high blood pressure. High blood pressure is twice as common in people with diabetes as in people without diabetes.
“I would advise people to avoid smoking and limit alcohol consumption. People who have diabetes and smoke have a high risk of heart attack compared with people who don’t smoke. It can also lead to heart failure and stroke if they drink too much alcohol.
“Healthy eating is what we recommend as an intervention to limit the risks of blood pressure or heart disease.”
“One in nine people in South Africa have diabetes. Of those who have diabetes, half are not aware. Chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure sometimes don’t have symptoms for the first five to 15 years.
“The trouble is when the wheels fall off and often you start experiencing symptoms that cannot be reversed,” Brown affirmed.
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, people with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease than those without the condition.
This underscores the importance of addressing both heart health and diabetes, especially in a country where people rely on unhealthy diets and are physically inactive and obese.
Statistics South Africa mentioned in its report of mortality trends for the period 2018 to 2020 that diabetes, hypertensive, cerebrovascular and heart diseases were the top 10 leading causes of death.
The foundation has also reported that hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the leading risk factor for stroke, responsible for 42% and 50% of heart attacks.
High blood pressure affects one in three South Africans, with more than 50% unaware of their condition.
Nutrition head at Heart and Stroke Foundation Shonisani Nephalama said: “Diabetes significantly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, even when glucose levels are under control.
This is because people with diabetes, especially Type 2, often have underlying conditions like high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, and live with poorly controlled blood sugar.”
Brown said these risk factors need to be well managed through lifestyle changes and consistently taking diabetes medication as prescribed by the doctors.
“We encourage people living with diabetes to reduce the risk of developing heart disease by managing blood sugar and the levels of high blood pressure and cholesterol. Try to avoid smoking, reduce or stop taking alcohol, and start exercising at least three times a week.”
Let’s prioritise our well-being moving forward by understanding the intertwined nature of diabetes and heart disease.
Taking proactive steps to manage our health can have a significant impact on preventing both diabetes and heart disease.
By linking heart care to diabetes awareness and prevention, we can foster a culture of health that prioritises quality of life.
Let every month be a month of love, not just for our partners and friends but for our hearts and our health.
• Kananda is an inspirational speaker and civil rights activist and Molemane is a diabetes warrior and a senior journalist at Kaya 95.9
